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Tonight I'm at home thinking about and praying for the students at realife. I can't wait to be back with you guys!!!

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If you look closely - and I do mean closely - you can see I'm growing a beard...at least for a couple of more days.

Despite what Casey says about how much weight I've lost since surgery, this isn't a picture of me. It's actually a picture I shot right outside my doctor's office the day before my operation. I think it was meant to describe how I would feel during week 2 of recovery! :)

Furthermore, I think David must have had a similar type procedure based on what he wrote in Psalm 6.2-3 "O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?" I've only said that same prayer about 10 times myself (every hour). And David didn't even have Hydrocodone to help him!!!

I not only relate to David's pain in chapter 6, I also connect with his peace in Psalm 3.5 - "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me".

Isn't that true? About the time you feel like you can't go on or you can't take it anymore God steps in and provides the rest you need or the strength to sustain you. He doesn't promise that you will never struggle...or even that your difficulties will only last one hour or one day. He simply wants you to trust Him to help you...even when (or especially when) times are hardest.

So you can lie down and rest knowing He is with you. Tomorrow is a new day. He will sustain you. Just take it one day at a time.

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This video is a fun reminder from Bria (our 2yr old) of God's wonderful promises.

You can stand on God's promises...they are true! 100% of them 100% of the time. Why don't you consider going through each day with a specific promise from God's Word? Especially if you're facing something that is difficult, confusing, or trying. Read the Bible and find out what God has to say about that issue. Then meditate on it, wrap your arms around it and face your day with the peace provided by His wonderful promise!

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Well, I'm packing my bags...or at least watching my dad pack them for me. The doctor released me and it's time to head back to Missouri. So many people have asked if the surgery was successful or how long until we can know if it worked. The doctor's advice to me was to take it slow and be patient. Perhaps I'll take a blog to give more detail on that later. But for now the bottom line is that I have about a month of slow recovery ahead of me before I return to normal activity, and it could be a year before we know how effective the surgery was at eliminating the pain.

Until then I'm thankful for the Lord's help, for the friends and family He's blessed me with, and for my beautiful wife and four precious daughters I will be home with tomorrow night!

1 Thessalonians 5.18

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Many people live each day with fear or worry over what might happen or could go wrong - And for good reason! In 2006, AARP magazine listed the number of injuries stemming from everyday activities in the United States.

3,925 people were injured while brushing their teeth

11,243 suffered injury while reading

43,117 while riding a stationary bike

15,974 while stapling paper

No wonder we're a society filled with caution against what possibly-potentially-might-could happen...kind of like the fine print of possible side effects written on the label of your medicine bottle.

But God wants you to experience His peace and His joy despite the potential dangers that surround your daily to-do-list or even the real storms and difficult circumstances you're facing right now.

Enjoy the video and thanks for sharing your comments!

(Philippians 4.4-7)